【The Chronicles of Chaos ※ Part Two: Soldiers on the Battlefield】(1)

Chapter One: A Sword Comes from

the East Spring arrived in April, mountain flowers were just beginning to bloom, the forest was deep and quiet, and birds chirped. On the grass in front of the trees outside the forest, several

wild rabbits were playing and foraging. Suddenly, one of them raised its head and pricked up its ears to listen, and the others also tilted their heads and pricked up their ears, then

scattered and fled. Not long after, several strong young men carrying simple weapons emerged from the depths of the forest, stepping on

the grass that the rabbits had just nibbled on, and looked around. One of them, with the swiftness of a monkey, climbed to the treetop,

looked into the distance for a while, and then shouted down joyfully, "Lu Erlang, it seems that the Jin troops have passed!"

The man called Lu Erlang was in his early twenties, with delicate features, a slender back and a narrow waist, and was shirtless,

with several scars on his chest and back that looked like they had just healed. Hearing the voice from the treetop, he laughed with delight, "Alright! You

come down and go ahead with the others. I'll go back into the woods to call the villagers back to the village."

Another person below teased, "Erlang, calling the villagers is just an excuse; your real intention is to frolic with the young lady from the Zhou family, isn't it?"

Lu Erlang blushed deeply, but stubbornly retorted, "Only a scoundrel like you has such a filthy heart!"

Seeing his flushed face, the crowd burst into laughter, pointing and whispering amongst themselves. Unable to bear their

teasing, Lu Erlang tossed out a "Be careful on the road" and plunged back into the woods. After walking for a while, the burning sensation in his ears subsided

, and the gentle beauty of Lanxiu floated into his mind. A smile appeared on his lips, and his pace quickened.

After walking for the time it takes to eat a meal amidst the rugged terrain, and crossing a small stream, the cave where the villagers had hidden came into view.

Lu Erlang instructed the lookouts at the cave entrance to inform everyone to return home, and then hurried to the cave where the Zhou family father and daughter were staying. He exclaimed joyfully

, "Lanxiu, the Golden Dog has retreated! Let's go home!"

Lanxiu, in the prime of her youth, though dressed in coarse clothes, could not conceal her delicate and charming beauty. Seeing Lu Erlang

arrive, her eyes and brows radiated joy. She took his hand affectionately and said, "Xiao An, was the journey tiring? Here,

have some water to quench your thirst!"

Before Xiao An could answer, two coughs suddenly came from the side, followed by an old man. Lanxiu quickly withdrew her hand

, blushing and running to fetch water. Lu Xiao An smiled sheepishly to hide his embarrassment, scratching his head and saying, "Father!"

The old man glanced at Lu Xiao An, gave a faint "hmm," and, carrying a small bundle on his back, instructed, "Take good care of

our family's grain seeds!" He then glanced at him again, sighed, picked up a wooden cane, and walked away on his own.

Seeing her father leave, Lanxiu handed the leather pouch to Lu Xiaoan, saying apologetically, "Don't blame your father, he

loves you very much. It's just... just that he's angry that you... haven't proposed marriage to him because I'm getting older."

Seeing Lanxiu's hesitant words and aggrieved look in her eyes, Lu Xiaoan felt a pang of pain in his heart and steeled himself, saying, "When we get back to the village, I

'll go to my godfather and ask him to marry you to me!"

Lanxiu was overjoyed to hear this, but her smile faded quickly. She took his hand and asked, "Is there still

no ?"

Xiaoan shook his head sadly and said, "When I inquired in the army before the Battle of Fuping, I heard that my elder brother... died in Taiyuan!"

Upon hearing this news, Lanxiu didn't know how to comfort him, so she could only tighten her grip on his hand

and . Lu Xiaoan forced a smile and said, "I have been searching for my elder brother for seven years on my father's dying wish. Although he is now dead, it is

better than him disappearing without a trace. Five years ago, when I caught a cold while passing through this place, if it weren't for my adoptive father saving me, I might have

died . Later, my adoptive father took me in as his adopted son and recommended me to join the Western Army, which is how I became the Lu Erlang I am today.

To have your favor is a blessing I have accumulated over three lifetimes. It's just that my obsessive search has made you wait all these years, and I am truly

sorry to you!"

Lan Xiu shook her head and was about to speak when a man in fine clothes emerged from the depths of the cave with a retinue. He sneered, "

What are you doing with the young lady of the Zhou family now, you deserter from the army?" Then, he said smugly to the people around him, "A warrior

is a warrior, no matter how you look at him! He runs away faster than anyone else on the battlefield, but now that he sees a young lady,

he's all over her!"

Lu Xiaoan was furious when he heard this and turned to argue, but his arm was tightly held by Lan Xiu. The man in brocade sneered,

"What? You tattooed soldier, you still want to lay a hand on me? I am a scholar who passed the imperial examination, a pillar of the Song Dynasty! How dare you, a

freckled brat, be so disrespectful!"

Lu Xiaoan glared and muttered, "Those big-turbaned brats deserve to die!"

The man in brocade roared, "What did you say? Men, tie him up with me, whip him, and send him to Fengxiang Prefecture

for punishment ..." After saying this, he remembered that Fengxiang had been occupied by the Jurchens and the prefecture was gone, and he felt a little scared.

Lu Xiaoan, who was beside him, was furious, his eyes blazing with fire. If Lanxiu hadn't held him back, he would have rushed up and given the man in brocade a good

beating. He had been in the army for a long time and had seen countless deaths and injuries. Just standing still in anger was enough to make him look stern and murderous.

The servants and guards around the terrified. They whispered sweet nothings to their master while pulling and persuading him to

leave the cave.

Lu Xiaoan spat fiercely at the spot where the group of men had left, saying, "I really don't know what we fought so hard on the battlefield for

! Just to protect these arrogant and rude people?"

Lanxiu tried to comfort him, saying, "That's enough, don't get angry and ruin your health. Master Hu is only temporarily staying here. Once the Jin dogs are driven

away and peace is restored, he will still serve the imperial family. Don't anger him, or our lives will be difficult in the future."

Lu Xiaoan was still furious, but he didn't want Lanxiu to see his cold face. He could only sigh heavily, slung

the grain seeds on his back, and took Lanxiu to catch up with her father.

There were many hoofprints on the village road, all heading south in a chaotic mess. The houses along the road only had some damaged doors and windows;

the houses and beds were still intact. This village was in a remote location and had never been disturbed by the Jin people before. But for some reason, since the middle of last month,

groups of Jin people had been passing through the area. Although the burning, killing, and looting had never occurred as blatantly as some had heard, the villagers were still terrified and fled

into the mountains. Frankly speaking, after the defeat at Fuping, the routed Song army was far more terrifying. However, the mountain people were known for their fierce nature,

and many of the young men in the village served as soldiers in the Western Army, so the village remained safe.

Lu Xiaoan asked his adoptive father to rest, while he and Lanxiu settled the grain seeds. Just as they finished, they heard

a commotion . Listening more closely, they heard the sound of clappers mixed with a man's shout: "The Jin Dog Brigade is coming from the south!"

Lanxiu turned pale with fright and rushed into the house to tell her father to flee. Although Lu Xiaoan was suspicious of the Jin Dog's

unusually fast return, he dared not delay. He grabbed the grain seeds they had just gathered and, helping the Zhou father and daughter,

ran familiarly into the mountains. The villagers were caught off guard, stumbling and falling as they helped the elderly and children along. Every household was in the same predicament.

Before the main force had even left the village, the Jurchens had already arrived from the south. Seeing that escape was impossible, Lu Xiaoan brandished his wooden club, turned around, and shouted...

"Those with guts, follow me to hold off the Jin soldiers and protect our fellow villagers in the mountains!" He broke free from Lanxiu's grasp and ran towards the back of the group.

A dozen or so men who had fled back from Fuping, along with seven or eight young men from the village, each armed with spears and clubs, followed closely behind Lu Xiaoan,

forming a small, military-style formation in the middle of the road, ready to fight the Jin soldiers at any moment. The group had arrived hastily, mostly carrying

machetes clubs, without a single decent weapon. One man even carried a roll of thick rope and stood in the middle of the formation. The

rather stout Master Hu, walking slowly, lagged behind the group with his servants. Seeing Lu Xiaoan and the others forming a battle line, he panted

, "Hold off the Jin soldiers...hold off the Jin soldiers...or I'll send you all to Fengxiang Prefecture..." Before he could finish speaking, he had already

run past the formation, his voice fading into the distance.

The sound of horses' hooves approached from the south. Lu Xiaoan and the others looked closely, but only a dozen or so horses came into view. Most of the horses

were ownerless, with only three golden figures galloping wildly at the front, their faces covered in dust and blood, looking utterly disheveled. Seeing the horses' frenzied gallop,

Lu Xiaoan realized that flesh and blood could not stop them. Glancing sideways at the thick rope in the man's hand, an idea struck him. He

shouted, "Tripping rope!" and yelled for seventeen or eighteen men to split into two groups, stretching the thick rope taut across the road.

The golden horses were fast, and in a few breaths they were upon them. The moment the men pulled the rope apart, the horses' hooves trampled them. A series of thuds were heard as

the leading horse was tripped and fell to the ground, along with the three golden figures. The following horses continued, some leaping

over the leading horse, others tripping over it. The three golden figures were trampled by the massive hooves of the horses, then crushed by the hundreds-of-pounds-weight bodies, all

dying instantly .

Lu Xiaoan and the others, relying entirely on manpower to pull the rope taut, were also now caught in the process, their hands torn, tumbling to the ground, covered in dust and dirt,

some even with broken bones. A moment later, another large force arrived from the south. A sharp-eyed young man shouted excitedly, "It's the Western

Army! It's the royal army of our Great Song!" Everyone looked into the distance and saw a general riding in front, followed by two soldiers.

On the general's banner was embroidered a large character, "Yang." The rest of

the troops When the column reached the spot where the Jin soldiers had died, the Song general surnamed Yang reined in his horse and looked around. Suddenly, he exclaimed in surprise, "Lu Xiao'an?"

Lu Xiao'an's palms were raw and bleeding from the rough ropes, and his body was covered in bruises. He was wincing in pain.

Hearing someone call his name, he looked up. Upon seeing him, he also exclaimed in surprise, "Commander Yang!" As he spoke,

he endured the pain and stood up to give Commander Yang a standard military salute. A dozen or so men who had also fled from Fuping, though they did not recognize

Commander Yang, also stood up and saluted. Captain Yang nodded slightly and said to Lu Xiao'an, "It is indeed Yang Congyi! Xiao'an,

what brings you here?"

Lu Xiao'an replied, "This village is my adoptive father's hometown! After the Battle of Fuping, I retreated with the army. Later, for some reason,

that scoundrel Murong Tao wanted to lead his soldiers to surrender to Western Xia. We were unwilling, so we secretly scattered and returned home on the way."

He paused and added, "During that military exercise, I was favored by Captain Yang, and I am still grateful to this day. It's just a pity that my adoptive father had a past relationship with the generals of Huanqing Army when he

joined the army , and he forbade me to follow you. I didn't expect you to still remember me!"

Yang Congyi sighed, first saying with heartache, "After the war, Privy Councilor Zhang shirked responsibility and killed his subordinates, leading to

the mutiny in the army." He sighed again, then smiled and said, "Xiao'an's swordsmanship is superb, and he is also exceptionally intelligent. I have always regretted not being able to

recruit my ranks, so how could I forget you! Today, by chance..." "What a perfect opportunity! Wu Jinglue is gathering his remaining troops, intending to

hold Heshangyuan. Now he has sent me to lead troops to recapture Fengxiang, and to take grain from the treasury to supply the army.

Although the troops allocated to me are the elite under the general's command, their numbers are too few, and they may not be enough to attack a fortified city. Xiao'an, would you be willing to come with me and lend

me a hand?"

Lu Xiao'an happily replied, "General Yang, I will obey your orders without hesitation! Could you please rest your horses in the village for a while,

and I will inform my godfather before we set off with the army?"

Yang Congyi was also delighted and said, "Good! With Xiao'an's help, taking Fengxiang will be much easier! I wonder

where your godfather is now? I also want to go and pay him a visit."

Lu Xiao'an turned around and looked into the distance, saying, "I just left the village to avoid the Jin people, so he should not have entered the mountains yet."

Yang Congyi had a strong soldier behind him give up a warhorse, and ordered the troops to slow down, and then he and Lu Xiao'an set off

to catch up. The dozen or so men who had been blocking the Jin soldiers' path saw the two men about to leave and all stepped in front of their horses, pleading to go with the army. Yang Congyi

looked at Lu Xiaoan for his opinion, and Lu Xiaoan nodded, saying, "Those few were already in the army, all defeated and scattered. These

few are young men from the village; they just came with us to stop the Jin dogs, and they are truly brave and courageous."

Yang Congyi was overjoyed and ordered the others to follow the main force, while he and Lu Xiaoan went to catch up with the villagers. Before long, they saw

a large group of villagers running wildly towards the mountain from the foot of the mountain. Hearing Lu Xiaoan's shouts and seeing the Song generals approaching, they all stopped, overjoyed.

Yang and Lu found the Zhou family father and daughter in the crowd and explained their intentions. Father Zhou slammed his wooden stick down and praised, "

A true man should wield a seven-foot sword and fight for fame and fortune in this chaotic world! Xiao An, go with peace of mind, don't worry about home!"

Lan Xiu held her father's arm, unwilling but not daring to say anything. She kept her pretty face tense and pretended to be indifferent, but tears

welled up in her eyes and fell like broken beads. Seeing Lanxiu's state, Lu Xiaoan felt a pang of pity,

but unable to offer sweet words of comfort in front of everyone, he could only say apologetically, "Lanxiu, I'm going with Captain Yang. After we capture Fengxiang, then..."

Hearing his words, Lanxiu felt even more aggrieved and couldn't help but sob, "

What did you promise me in that mountain cave?"

Father Zhou slammed his wooden stick down again, scolding, "With Captain Yang in front of you, how dare you speak! In this

time of national turmoil, a true man should step forward! If I were ten years younger, I would also go to the battlefield with them,

to let the Jin dogs know that our Great Song cannot be easily insulted!"

Lanxiu shook off her father's arm, huffing, "I really don't understand what the point of fighting on the battlefield is! Just to protect

that arrogant and rude turban?" With that, she turned and ran away.

Lu Xiaoan wanted to chase after her but was too shy to move. His eyes followed Lanxiu's retreating figure, and he happened to see Master Hu

sitting on a large rock, panting heavily. Disgusted, he frowned. Seeing this, Zhou's father assumed he was worried about love,

so he reassured him, "Don't worry, go fight with Captain Yang! When you defeat the Jin dogs and return home in glory, your godfather will give

you double happiness! I have Lanxiu to take care of you, and the heavy work will be taken care of when Dalang brings back the grain."

Lu Xiaoan's heart was full of Lanxiu, and he reluctantly nodded, replying, "My elder brother has been gone for more than ten days. I wonder

when he will return?"

……………………………………………………

Twelve squatted down and gently stroked the large rock in front of him. He felt the barely perceptible mark of their sect where the rock met the soil, and turned back happily

, saying, "Young Master An, the way is right! After crossing this mountain, it's another ten or so miles to Erli Post Station."

An Hong nodded, also feeling relieved. He looked down at his clothes, which had been torn by the trees and rocks, and his face showed bitterness.

A smile played on his lips, a sweet feeling welling up inside. He called to Twelve to muster their remaining strength, and as they descended the mountain, the stars were just beginning to twinkle and the moon

was rising .

Though unwilling to linger, there was nowhere to rest in the mountains; they had been traveling for three days and nights without a break. So they continued on their way, searching for

a place to rest. Soon, they saw a cave on the side of the mountain. The entrance, though not wide, seemed sufficient to shelter them from the rain and

wind. Looking inside, they found the cave narrow and deep, its walls several meters long abruptly abruptly turning right at the bottom.

A firelight , illuminating the cave floor in a reddish glow, but the interior remained obscured.

Twelve glanced at An Hong and then prepared to leap into the cave to investigate. An Hong, sensing the desolation of the cave and the suspicious firelight, fearing for

Twelve's safety, raised his hand to block Twelve's path and went into the cave first. Twelve, already charging forward, nearly collided with An Hong's

arm, his face flushed, and he glared angrily at An Hong. Seeing his broad, kind back, and feeling a sense of comfort throughout the journey, she couldn't help but smile slightly.

An Hong reached the middle of the cave when he heard a woman's voice from the firelight: "Come on, come on! Do you think I'm beautiful?" Her voice

was soft and alluring, and even with An Hong's strong inner strength and calm mind, he felt his heart flutter and couldn't resist.

Seeing quickly stepped forward and patted An Hong's shoulder. The footsteps startled the people in the cave, and the woman shouted, "

Who's there?"

An Hong, awakened by Twelve's pat, didn't retreat but instead advanced, lightly leaping to the bottom of the cave. Before him was a bonfire,

with a man and a woman standing on either side, both completely naked. Behind the fire lay four people, motionless,

their fate unknown.

Upon seeing An Hong, the naked woman frowned, then her anger turned to delight as she asked, "Young master, do you also wish to take a share of

my body?"

An Hong, regaining his senses, already had a plan in mind. The scene in the cave confirmed his suspicions, and he felt a surge of murderous intent. He coldly

replied, "So you're the Red-Veiled Demoness who killed my archer brothers?"

The naked woman giggled, swaying her hips as she stepped forward, saying, "Oh!

Are you not satisfied with my figure, young master?" Before she finished speaking, her smile still lingering, she clenched her fist into a blade and slashed at An Hong's head and neck. Seeing

the naked woman's attack, An Hong let out a soft "Eh," and without thinking, raised his arm to meet it. His attack struck first, seemingly

as if the woman's target was An Hong's arm. Seeing her attack fail, the naked woman twisted her body and changed position

to strike again. An Hong parried in the same manner. After several such attempts, the naked woman became enraged, let out a soft shout, and launched

a . Like a master sparring with his apprentice, An Hong stood with one hand behind his back, using only the other to parry and defend, his expression

growing increasingly grave and puzzled. The naked woman, panting heavily, took two steps back and asked, "Who exactly are you?"

An Hong remained silent. Twelve, who had been watching from behind, suddenly said cautiously, "Young Master An..."

An Hong raised his hand to stop Twelve, stepping aside to make way for the cave exit, saying, "You may leave!"

The naked woman glanced at Twelve, then at An Hong, covered her mouth with a soft laugh, picked up her clothes from the ground, and as she

passed An Hong, paused to give him a deep look before flying away. Twelve clasped his hands in gratitude to An Hong, saying, "

Thank you!"

An Hong was taken aback and asked, "Why?"

Twelve said shyly, "Although we despise each other, we are all from the Meng family. I only didn't want to see her die,

not to collude with her. Please don't misunderstand, Young Master An."

Hearing his words, An Hong's doubts deepened, but he gave up arguing and asked instead, "This man still

seems to be mentally challenged. What should we do?"

Twelve took two steps forward and said angrily, "That's good!" He raised his hands and

slapped . The naked man shuddered violently. Although his eyes were still confused, his mind seemed to gradually clear

. He slowly turned his head and looked around. An Hong stared in astonishment and said, "Thank you."

Twelve raised his chin and asked, "Why?"

An Hong was speechless and thought to himself, "This man is fine in every way, except that his personality is too indecisive and too

petty ." Seeing that he didn't speak, Twelve turned his head away and didn't say anything either. The naked man was now fully awake. He collapsed onto

the four men , shaking them and calling out their names. Seeing their stiff bodies and lifeless breaths, he burst into tears. An Hong

stepped forward to comfort him, and after he composed himself and dressed, asked him where he came from. The naked man replied, "My benefactor, my name is Zhou

Qing, from Zhoujia Village in Fengxiang Prefecture. Hearing that the army on Heshang Plain was short of food, I went with four fellow villagers to deliver it.

Because there were often enemy dogs on the main road, we took a detour through the mountain paths, but unexpectedly… unexpectedly…" He could not finish his sentence, and

tears streamed .

Seeing Zhou Qing's pitiful state, An Hong and Twelve comforted him. They helped him bury the bodies outside the cave and rested there temporarily.

As dawn broke, the three of them set off together. They hadn't gone far when they saw Zhou Qing and his fellow villagers' cart and grain sacks scattered haphazardly

to one side. Zhou Qing loaded all the grain sacks onto a cart and pushed it like a bull. They traveled a short distance further and reached

the mountain path Zhou Qing had described. Grain carts flowed like water, an endless stream. Some villagers delivering grain stopped to share the load when they saw Zhou Qing's cart was heavy;

though strangers, they treated each other like family.

Seeing Zhou Qing traveling with the main group, An Hong felt relieved and led Twelve ahead. The two rested for half a night, their strength

fully restored, and in less than half a day they had covered dozens of miles of mountain road, arriving not far from the outskirts of Heshangyuan. An Hong noticed the narrow paths

and jagged cliffs, yet there were no soldiers guarding them, not even a single scout. He grew suspicious.

Just as they reached the outskirts, a few Song soldiers stopped them and questioned them. An Hong showed Wei Qing's waist token and requested an audience with Wu Jie. The Song soldiers, seeing

the token, all treated him with respect. One of them left his post to lead the way.

The rugged path led them up the outskirts, where a military camp came into view. An Hong, unfamiliar with military affairs, was whispered to by Twelve

, "They look like only three to five thousand men, why are they set up so many small camps?" The three walked through the camps,

An Hong looking around. He saw that each camp had only a few hundred Song soldiers, some sitting, some lying down, some laughing and joking, appearing quite lazy and lacking in discipline

. Compared to the Song soldiers leading the way, they were worlds apart.

After a short while, they arrived at a camp with only a few dozen soldiers, each fully armored and imposing. Compared to the other camps, it was far more

quiet and solemn. People felt a sense of awe just looking at it, and felt a sense of reverence while inside. The Song soldiers led the two to the outside of the central tent,

saluted, and announced, "Reporting to the general, there are two men outside who claim to be the sworn brothers of Commander Zhe Ling, requesting an audience with the general. Because they carry the waist token of

the general's personal bodyguard, the squad leader ordered his men to bring the two men to wait outside the tent."

As soon as the Song soldiers finished speaking, hurried footsteps came from inside the tent. A moment later, the tent flap was lifted, and

a burly man with thick sideburns rushed out. He shouted, "Where is Zhe Ling? Is he alright?"

A Song soldier whispered, "This is General Wu Lin, the younger brother of General Wu Jie." Seeing Wu Lin calling out to Zhe Ling with

concern goodwill towards him increased, and he quickly clasped his hands and said, "Thank you for your concern, General Wu. I hope my brother is well."

"The commander sent me here to find the two generals; there is urgent military information to discuss."

Wu Lin strode forward, dismissing the Song soldiers and grabbing An Hong's arm, saying, "What are you doing here being

so scholarly ? Come into the tent!" An Hong smiled, not resisting, and let him pull him into the tent.

The tent flap suddenly parted, revealing a man. This man had a straight nose, a wide mouth, and a long beard, his face resembling that of a scholar, but he was broad-shouldered and had a

powerful, imposing gait, exuding the air of a military general. He smiled at An Hong and said, "My younger brother is rough and impulsive; I hope

you will forgive him. Please come inside!"

An Hong repeatedly said he dared not accept such praise, and after introducing himself and his origins, he handed Wei Qing's waist token and the letter written by Wu Jie,

before standing at the lower end of the tent. After carefully reading the letter, Wu Jie handed it to Wu Lin and sighed, "I never imagined the Jin people would be so

cunning! If Yinping falls, we'll be trapped here, just like Jiang Boyue of Western Shu!" He paused, then

inquired in detail about the situation at Zhuge Fortress. An Hong answered each question, omitting the matter of Qiaoyun and Mengmen, saying that the bandits in the fortress had been subdued by Zhe Ling and

were united in resisting the Jin. Twelve, who had been following behind An Hong, was filled with indignation upon hearing him refer to Mengmen as bandits. Quietly, she

twisted two fingers into the soft flesh of An Hong's waist and pinched it hard.

After reading the letter, Wu Lin clenched his fist, took two steps forward, and said to Wu Jie, "Brother, no, elder brother. This is of utmost importance; we must

immediately send troops to aid us!" He then stomped his foot heavily and said, "We have no soldiers! What to do! What to do!"

An Hong's expression changed upon hearing this, and Twelve also released his grip and stood there dumbfounded. Wu Jie said to An Hong, "To be honest, young master An, just as my brother

said, there are no soldiers available on the plain at the moment. My brother and I originally had a thousand elite soldiers. Due to insufficient military supplies, we sent

eight hundred men to Yang Zihe to attack Fengxiang and seize the stored grain. We have also sent more than a hundred soldiers to scout the surrounding areas for several days. Now

there are only a few dozen soldiers in the camp, who are divided into teams to take turns guarding the various passages around the plain."

An Hong asked doubtfully, "On the way here, I saw many people transporting grain to this place. I also saw that there were several thousand soldiers

in . How could... how could we be so short of supplies..."

Wu Lin scoffed and said, "You know nothing about military affairs! What do you know!" He wanted to say more, but Wu Jie scolded him away.

Wu Jie first apologized, then said gravely, "The soldiers on the plains are all defeated and routed troops I gathered. The Jurchens plundered Shaanxi,

causing the soldiers' families to be separated. Zhang Shumi's whereabouts are uncertain, leaving logistics unreliable and food scarce. The soldiers on the plains are scattered in their

respective camps, disobeying orders, with low morale and unstable forces; none of them are of any use. Fortunately, the people are hoping for the royal army

to recover , and I, Wu, have shown them some kindness in the past, so I generously offered my assistance. However, it is like a drop in the ocean; the army is still running a deficit."

An Hong asked with difficulty, "This... what should we do?"

Wu Jie said, "The military situation at Commander Zhe's office is also urgent. Although there are high mountains and fortified positions, the soldiers are just

a rabble ; they must receive reinforcements to be safe. The best course of action now is..." " We can either wait for Zihe to return with his troops, then have his elite soldiers accompany

you back to reinforce us; or we can find where Privy Councilor Zhang is stationed and ask him to send troops to our aid."

An Hong asked anxiously, "May I ask, General Wu, which method is faster?"

Wu Jie replied, "Twenty days ago, I sent someone to find Privy Councilor Zhang's location, and Zihe has also been there with his troops for over ten

days. Young Master An, please stay in the camp for now. News will surely come back within a few days. When that time comes, we can choose the one that arrives first

and proceed simultaneously to ensure timely reinforcements. What do you think, Young Master An?"

Although An Hong was anxious, he had no choice but to nod helplessly and said, "That's the only way!"

Seeing An Hong's anxious expression, Wu Jie instructed Wu Lin to prepare a banquet in his honor. An Hong politely declined and asked Wu Jie

to arrange a tent for him to rest. Once inside the tent, An Hong ignored him and immediately went to sleep. An Hong cast everything aside

, closed the tent flap, and began meditating, momentarily forgetting himself and his surroundings. When he opened his eyes, it was already dark, and he felt refreshed and

ravenously hungry. While An Hong was meditating, Twelve had taken it upon himself to refuse Wu Jie's invitation. Seeing that An Hong had finished his meditation, he went out of the tent

to find some food from the campfire, threw it in front of An Hong with a huff, and then covered his head and went back to sleep. An Hong was worried about Zhe Ling, but also knew that

the situation on the plains was not good. Feeling troubled, he also lay down to doze off after eating, listening to the sounds around him. The mountain wind blowing through the tent,

the rustling of armor plates, the bugle calls from the army, and the crackling of the campfire all reached his ears. After an unknown amount of time, a hurried

sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the camp. The footsteps stopped abruptly at the central command post, and the officer said anxiously, "General, I am Chen Yuanyou. Something terrible has happened !

Some officers are conspiring to incite a mutiny and intend to kidnap you and force you to surrender to the Jin. Please, General, send troops to quell the rebellion immediately!"

An Hong was greatly alarmed upon hearing this and jumped up. Hearing Wu Lin cry out, "Brother, most of the soldiers under your command are patrolling the surrounding area at night, and

there are only a dozen or so men left in the camp. What should we do?"

Wu Jie scolded, "What's the panic! You two take the remaining soldiers in the camp and go to each camp to issue orders, summoning all officers and soldiers to my tent

to discuss military affairs."

Wu Lin cried out again, "Brother! What military affairs are we discussing! In my opinion, you should take Young Master An and his servant

and leave first. I will lead the soldiers to hold them off here..."

Wu Jie also scolded again, "Nonsense! I, Wu Jie, am the commander-in-chief of the army. How can I abandon the central army because of a few scattered soldiers

? Go and issue the orders immediately, don't delay!" He paused, then spoke gently, "There are two distinguished guests in the left tent.

Please ask Mr. Chen to leave the camp with them and take temporary refuge in the mountains. After this matter is settled, I will send Wu Lin to find the three of you."

Wu Lin stamped his foot and left the tent, gathering his troops to leave the camp. An Hong woke Twelve, gesturing for him to follow, and stepped out through the curtain. A

middle-aged scholar was hurrying towards them. Upon seeing An Hong and Twelve, he hastily bowed, but before he could speak,

a fiery dragon rushed towards the camp gate from afar. The soldiers were a chaotic mix of armor and footsteps, their

shouts of "Catch Wu Jie! Kill Wu Jie!" An Hong turned to Twelve and said, "Escort Mr. Chen to the central army. Protect Commander Wu well; do not leave his

side even for a moment!" With that, he gathered his strength and moved with the lightness of an arrow, heading straight for the camp gate.

An Hong stopped at the gate; the approaching fiery dragon was still several feet away. He channeled his inner strength

and

let out a long roar. The vanguard of the chaotic army, startled by the sound, slowly halted. An Hong drew his sword, pointing it at the ground, and used sword energy to carve a deep trench three feet in front of him, declaring loudly, "Those who cross this line shall die!"

The chaotic army numbered about three hundred, originally arranged in a single column. Hearing An Hong's long howl, and seeing the vanguard failing, they all surged forward, crowding

together. In the firelight, they saw An Hong, dressed as a scholar, daring to block the main force's path alone, brandishing his sword

to draw a line. Laughter erupted. An Hong, sword tip pointing to the ground, remained expressionless, ignoring them. Suddenly, the chaotic army

parted, and a general rode out , shouting, "The people send grain, and Wu Jie repays them with wealth. This has been going on for days, his purse is never empty, and who knows

how much jewels are hoarded in his camp! Break through the camp, and you can take whatever you want. Capturing Wu Jie alive will be another great achievement for the Jin camp.

Stop arguing with this madman, and charge into the camp!"

Hearing this, the chaotic soldiers, their eyes red with greed, shouted and charged forward. A dozen or so daring and ambitious men were at the forefront, several...

They reached the edge of the sword boundary, each raising their weapons to slash and thrust. An Hong channeled his inner energy, his clothes fluttering even without wind, concentrated his mind, and with a flick of his wrist, his sword flashed.

Those ten or so rebel soldiers in the front, regardless of their ears, noses, feet, or arms, anything that crossed the boundary was sliced off; those in the back, regardless of whether they carried swords, spears, axes , or halberds,

anything that crossed the boundary was cut into pieces. In an instant, blades shattered, weapons were damaged, and blood splattered like mud.

The ten or so rebel soldiers, some in shock, some screaming in agony, could not stop their comrades behind them, who had not witnessed this, from rushing forward.

A few dodged to the outside, collapsing just outside the sword boundary; those in unbearable pain were pushed across the boundary, their lives instantly extinguished by the blades.

The newly arrived rebel soldiers, also a dozen or so, seemed to belong to the same unit, their weapons and armor identical. Seeing the obstructing figures

disappear, they simultaneously raised their spears and thrust, their movements perfectly synchronized. An Hong leaped to dodge, his left arm swirling in the air

like a dragon, ensnaring the thrusting spear tip. His right arm pointed forward, his sword flashing like a phoenix, slicing across the throats of over ten rebel soldiers. The rebels first felt

their hands split open, spears slipping from their grasp. Before they could react, a chill ran down their throats, followed by a gush of blood. An Hong

flicked his sleeve towards the camp gate behind him, and over ten spears were neatly planted in the ground, like a row of wooden palisades. He landed on his feet, stepping

precisely into the footprints he had left before.

Before the rebels could even approach, they felt as if in the blink of an eye, the ground was piled high with corpses, all too shocked to move forward.

Seeing , the general waved his hand,

and eight men with swords and shields charged forward from behind his horse, pushing through the ranks, shields raised, swords raised, into the encirclement. An Hong drew his sword and engaged the eight in a melee. These eight men, relying on the strength of their shields, attacked from both sides, holding their ground against An Hong's swordplay,

managing to barely escape unscathed. The general shouted, "This man is exhausted! Why don't you use your numbers to your advantage and hack him

to death? What are you waiting for? Great rewards and merit are within your grasp!"

Hearing this, the chaotic soldiers swarmed forward. Although the camp gate wasn't very wide, dozens of men and weapons

surrounded . An Hong had just fought eight men alone, gaining a significant advantage and forcing the shield bearers beyond the defenses. Now

, attacked from three sides, his sword flashed, slashed, parried, and thrust, leaving him overwhelmed. Although each strike claimed a life, he was helpless against

the overwhelming number of and could only retreat step by step, now not far from the gun emplacements. The general, watching from afar, saw the swords flashing like

dragons, slicing and twirling, blood splattering everywhere, but the swordsman had already been swallowed up by the crowd.

A short while later, the sword light suddenly disappeared. The general was overjoyed, thinking An Hong, outnumbered, had perished at the camp gate. Just as he was about to spur his horse

forward to kill Wu Jie, a series of screams suddenly erupted from the crowd. Before the screams had even faded, another shrill cry rose, repeating

six times, and the glint of swords flashed again within the encirclement. The general was horrified, glanced around, pondered for a moment, and finally gritted his teeth and made up his mind. He took a

deep breath to calm himself, slowly drew his sword, pushed off the saddle, and flew over the camp gate, heading straight for the central army.

In the midst of the battle, An Hong's clothes were soaked with the blood of the chaotic soldiers, his face and head obscured by crimson. The corpses at his feet

had piled up into a platform, only his sword remained unstained by blood. About a hundred of the chaotic soldiers remained, all terrified and

speechless. One of them faced An Hong directly, feeling his legs tremble. An Hong stared into his eyes, then looked down, and with a clang, sheathed his sword. The man followed An Hong's gaze to his feet, seeing that his feet were still an inch

beyond the river of blood carved by the sword . A wave 　　of relief

washed over him, but his knees buckled, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud. An Hong slowly scanned the remaining chaotic

troops ; wherever his gaze fell, everyone was kneeling, not a single person standing. The camp gates were silent, but suddenly the sound of clashing metal came from within the camp behind him. An Hong turned sharply and saw Wu Jie and Twelve on horseback not far from the central command tent. Chen Yuanyou stood anxiously to the side, dragging a large cloth bag. The general, having seen An Hong abandon the gate and return, fought desperately, ignoring Twelve's presence and focusing all his attacks on Wu Jie. Although he was immediately struck by several of Twelve's swords, he managed to kick Wu Jie to the ground. He swung his sword down, intending to kill Wu Jie , but Chen Yuanyou threw a handful of sand at his face, forcing him to close his eyes to avoid it. As he turned to swing his sword again, An Hong was already there. 　　An Hong used a flicking technique to deflect the general's knife, then followed up with several more moves, forcing him back several steps. Seeing Twelve and Chen Yuanyou protecting Wu Jie as they moved further away, the general knew killing him was hopeless and vented his anger on An Hong, each strike aimed at a vital spot. An Hong noticed that An Hong's swordsmanship didn't seem honed in battlefield combat, but rather in the ways of the martial world, and became suspicious . Wanting to capture him alive and find out the reason, An Hong held back at every turn. The general's attacks proved fruitless, and feeling his strength waning and his swordsmanship becoming scattered, he attempted a feint and retreat, but An Hong seized the opening and stabbed him in the shoulder. An Hong slid his sword to the neck of the general on horseback and demanded, "Who are you? How dare you incite the army to assassinate General Wu?" 　　The general ignored An Hong's question, closing his eyes and chanting, "Light is universal, all is pure; eternal joy, tranquility, and freedom from curses." He then opened his eyes wide, a sharp light flashing within them, and thrust a palm at An Hong. 　　An Hong withdrew his sword and slashed at the general's forearm, intending to force him to withdraw and defend himself. Unexpectedly, the general neither blocked nor parried, allowing his arm to be severed. The general, with his severed arm still attached, struck An Hong's chest with tremendous force, and while An Hong's internal organs were reeling, he escaped. 　　An Hong pursued him closely, but his opponent's agility was also exceptional. An Hong himself was exhausted from the long battle and had suffered internal injuries from the severed arm. In his haste, he could not close the distance. A few breaths later, the general had already left the camp, leaped onto his horse, and spurred it on fleeing. An Hong chased for a while longer, but could only watch the man and his horse disappear into the distance. 　　At the camp gate, Wu Lin arrived from afar with dozens of soldiers and generals. In the firelight, he saw rivers of blood, over a hundred dead, over a hundred kneeling, and dozens more standing motionless in chains. Terrified, he drew his sword and approached. The kneeling rebels, their courage broken, crawled on their knees to make way. Wu Lin traversed the mountain of corpses and sea of blood to reach the standing figures, raising his torch to examine them. He saw six chains of men, all impaled in the chest by spears and linked together. The six at the front held shields to their chests, yet they too could not escape their fate. Just then, An Hong, having pursued them, returned empty-handed. Seeing the blood-soaked demon approaching, the rebels all prostrated themselves. Wu Lin's generals and soldiers also showed considerable fear. Upon learning that everyone was safe, Wu Lin ordered the slaughter of the rebels as a warning to others. Before any action was taken, Twelve relayed Wu Jie's order: "General Wu, please invite all generals to the tent for a meeting. Also, order the remaining rebels to clear the camp gates." 　　Wu Jie, upon hearing the order, angrily withdrew. He left soldiers to guard the clearing of the rebels and led a group of officers and An Hong into the central camp. Wu Jie sat high in the tent, his expression composed. He first invited An Hong to sit beside him, then scanned the generals in the camp one by one. In the eyes of the generals, there were many expressions of shame and fear; almost every one of them kept their hands on the hilts of their swords. Seeing this, Wu Jie sighed deeply. Before he could speak, the soldiers guarding the tent cheered: "The rebels have been beheaded! The rebels have been beheaded!"

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【The Chronicles of Chaos ※ Part Two: Soldiers on the Battlefield】(1)

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